Practice Areas

Businesses today are often challenged to make critical decisions quickly. Quality legal advice is key to reaching those decisions. We serve as trusted counsel for individuals and corporations in all aspects of their business decision-making, especially as they grow, encounter new variables and change shape or direction.

Clients look to us to help them determine whether certain business moves meet all relevant legal requirements and to advise them on the statutory, regulatory and case-law consequences of those choices. Our work focuses on day-to-day as well as long-term needs.

We partner with in-house counsel and company leaders to deliver budget-conscious solutions tailored to each client and industry. This practice area is often closely aligned with our other areas of experience, including real estate, government relations, commercial transactions, land use and litigation.

Our attorneys are committed to obtaining the best results for clients facing criminal and municipal court charges. With extensive experience as a Public Defender, our firm has a strong background in handling all types of Municipal Court matters.

Our practice encompasses both sides of debt collection for a wide range of businesses and individuals: creditors and debtors.

For creditors, we work to collect money owed to them, no matter what the source. We also help them obtain docketed judgments against the debtor. We customize the debt-collection approach to each client.

For debtors, we work with creditors to settle our clients’ debts and often invoke the provisions of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to ensure that creditors do not cross their legal boundaries when collecting debts. Through effective negotiations and/or litigation, we work with clients and opposing parties to resolve these disputes.

Our firm understands that family law matters are emotionally charged. We have the experience of working in Family Court to help clients navigate through the uncertainty and uneasiness that can accompany family law matters.

We offer guidance on all issues concerning divorce, child custody, grandparent visitation, alimony, child support, medical coverage, education expenses, pensions and equitable distribution of property. We work hard to represent the best interests of our clients while obtaining the best possible results.

We lead you through this often-confusing area of the law by handling your case with compassion and understanding. Our goal is to allow you to move on with your life. We keep you up to date on what to expect and how your case is progressing.

And if your case overlaps with other areas of the law, our attorneys can handle those matters as well.

In this age of heightened scrutiny, businesses, governmental agencies and other entities can easily find themselves at the center of an inquiry or can learn of internal developments that need a thorough and immediate investigation.

We conduct internal investigations based on allegations raised by people inside and outside the company, by agencies or by other organizations. To that end, we review documents, conduct interviews, document our findings and report them to management or the board. And we guide companies in dealing with government investigations. We protect our clients’ interests, minimize their exposure to liability and allow their businesses to operate uninterrupted.

Our practice is directed to corporations, governmental entities, audit committees and boards of directors in a range of industries, and we are experienced in dealing with law enforcement agencies.

Of course, the best approach is to head off these problems by developing compliance and ethics training programs, as well as codes of conduct. The goal is to prevent illegal or unethical behavior or to uncover it internally at an early stage. The existence of such policies and programs can reduce the chances, scope and impact of an investigation.

We provide strategic representation for owners and developers of real estate in all phases of the land-use approval process, including obtaining designation as a redeveloper; obtaining site plan, subdivision, variance and rehabilitation approvals; and appearing before planning and zoning boards, other agencies and various courts. Our representation also includes appealing any land-use board decision, should a client desire to do so. In addition, we handle sales and purchases, as well as tax abatements.

We have a high level of proficiency in producing regulatory analyses, preparing project evaluations and assisting clients with long-range land-use plans.

Our firm helps clients comply with all local and state codes and statutes in the application process so they can avoid potential problems.

Whether you are sued or need to file suit, our objective is to achieve the best possible result while keeping an eye on the costs through negotiation, mediation, arbitration or trial.

If you are a plaintiff, we work hard to assemble the facts and research the law applicable to your case. If you are a defendant, we work to shield you from liability. In cases where liability is inevitable, we zealously defend our clients to obtain the best possible outcome. In all cases, we get to the heart of the matter quickly.

As part of our representation, we help our clients through every step of the process – from the initial complaint, discovery and depositions, to, if necessary, appearances in court for trial. Our attorneys represent clients before various state and federal courts, as well as in administrative proceedings, arbitration and mediation. We also are involved in many facets of real estate litigation, including, but not limited to, business-management disputes, commercial and residential landlord-tenant matters, zoning and planning litigation, and foreclosures.

We work with our clients to ensure that each matter is pursued to an appropriate negotiated or litigated outcome. We also work closely with related practice groups to make sure clients receive strong representation in all areas of high-stakes business litigation.

Our practice provides a full range of legal services to governmental entities, mayors, councils, individuals, independent authorities and other local agencies. We work with government clients to ensure that we serve their specific needs while attempting to solve problems in the most cost-efficient manner possible.

We develop and prepare resolutions and ordinances and assist in interpreting municipal codes, rules, regulations and statutes, including the Local Public Contracts Law. We also review and/or prepare contracts and bid specifications for vendors and service providers, make sure they comply with pay-to-play restrictions and offer guidance on navigating the state’s 564 municipalities.

Our practice involves the creation and representation of nonprofit organizations, including those recognized under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our nonprofit clients span a wide range of sectors, are of varying sizes and include public charities as well as cultural and performing arts organizations.

They have a unique mission and face special legal issues. We guide them in day-to-day matters as well as help them chart their growth and make long-term decisions.

Our practice helps clients obtain just compensation for injuries suffered through the fault of another.

We represent clients against those who have intentionally, recklessly or negligently caused injury to them or those who own property that has been intentionally, recklessly or negligently harmed. These injuries can stem from a trip and fall, a car accident or even a physical altercation.

We help our clients through every step of the process, from advising them on filing a lawsuit through medical examinations and the payment of medical bills and, if necessary, litigation. We work tirelessly to ensure that our clients are compensated for medical bills, loss of work, physical and emotional pain and suffering, and loss of quality time with their family.

Our Property Tax Practice Group has extensive experience in the prosecution and defense of property tax appeals. We work on behalf of both municipal governments and private clients, and believe that this background makes us better at effectively representing both.

The scope of legal services includes providing timely communication and consultation; drafting, filing and serving pleadings; engaging in discovery, inclusive of site inspections; cooperating with real estate appraisers and other consultants; attending court appearances; and trying cases. We are always responsive to client communications, and we make each client’s needs our priority.

For private taxpayers, we have deep experience in appraisal and valuation techniques, and our attorneys have represented owners and lessees of many large commercial and industrial properties, as well as high-value homeowners. This experience allows us to examine a property and understand its market value, so we can decide whether, and how, to effectively represent a taxpayer. Our firm is not a tax-appeal mill; by accepting only meritorious cases, we can provide thorough service that will lead to the best possible result in the least amount of time.

For government clients, our representation of both plaintiffs and defendants gives our team a unique insight; we understand the law and how plaintiff tax-appeal firms work, which allows us to vigorously and effectively defend each case. We work effectively with our municipal clients and their experts to develop the best strategy for each case and are responsive to all municipal needs.

Our public finance practice has broad experience in the municipal finance area, including representing issuers, underwriters, lenders and trustees in public debt offerings by units of local government. Our technical knowledge allows us to handle a range of transactions for many types of entities that face the challenge of meeting infrastructure and related needs.

John Wisniewski started practicing law as a public finance attorney, at Kraft & Hughes. Today, Wisniewski & Associates is listed in The Bond Buyer’s Municipal Marketplace®.

We represent clients in the purchase, sale and refinancing of commercial and residential real estate.

We understand the purchase or sale of a home is a major event in a client’s life, and we work to make sure the transaction goes as smoothly as possible. Our attorneys and paralegal work to help clients understand often-complex procedures so clients can make informed and appropriate decisions. We are with our clients every step of the way, from the initial contract, to attorney review through inspections and the mortgage commitment, to the closing of title. Our firm also offers representation to individuals who wish to refinance or conduct a deed change or title search on their property.

We also represent clients in all aspects of acquiring or selling commercial real estate. We work with them in negotiating contracts, structuring ownership and development entities, drafting and negotiating leases, obtaining necessary permits and approvals, and representing clients before municipal planning/zoning boards.

Our practice concentrates on achieving client goals while balancing client sensitivities. We strive to understand family dynamics, values and financial circumstances, and then help clients articulate their estate planning goals. Our services range from providing a simple will to creating a complex package of documents.

Together with our clients, we work to resolve numerous estate-planning issues, such as how wealth should be distributed to future generations, the advantages and disadvantages of living trusts, and the advantages of a living will, health care power of attorney and/or durable power of attorney. We meet with the testator privately to make sure his/her interests and needs are met. In addition, we regularly assist families in the administration of their deceased loved ones’ estates. Unfortunately, situations arise where family disputes result in estate litigation. We represent clients in many facets of that litigation, such as will contests and other types of fiduciary litigation.